Newsletter Issue 2
Taylor Arndt Newsletter – Issue 2
Thank You for Your Continued Support
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the support during my Substack journey. Your encouragement means the world to me. I'm also thrilled to welcome another paid subscriber—thank you!
What I'm Working on at Techopolis Online Solutions
As the Chief AI and Operations Officer at Techopolis Online Solutions, I’ve been deep in product development, accessibility advocacy, and strategic work. One of our most exciting projects right now is called Perspective Voices.
Introducing Perspective Voices (Beta)
Do you have text you want spoken aloud, but don’t want the hassle of scripting or setting up complex TTS tools? We’re almost ready to launch our app called Perspective Voices. It allows you to upload a document or enter text and generate speech using a variety of top-tier voices.
Supported voices include OpenAI, ElevenLabs, Google, and Microsoft (coming soon). It even supports multiple languages and fixes annoying issues like TTS mispronouncing numbers. We’re currently in beta, and it’ll be available to the public soon! Subscribe to the Techopolis newsletter for updates: https://techopolis.kit.com/
- Accessibility Audit Tracker: Developing a tool to streamline the process of logging and tracking accessibility issues.
Special Interview: Quincy Larson of freeCodeCamp
I'm excited to announce an upcoming interview with Quincy Larson, the founder of freeCodeCamp, in collaboration with the Laurel Wheeler Foundation. The interview will be streamed live on my YouTube channel:
You can participate by asking questions in the chat or emailing them to laurelwheelerfoundation@gmail.com.
Major Tech Conferences This Week
Microsoft Build 2025
Dates: May 19–22, 2025
Keynote Time: May 19 at 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET
Registration: https://build.microsoft.com/en-US/home
Livestream: https://build.microsoft.com/en-US/sessions/KEY010
Google I/O 2025
Dates: May 20–21, 2025
Keynote Time: May 20 at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET
Registration: https://io.google/2025/register/
Livestream: https://io.google/2025
Insights from AccessU 2025
Michael recently attended AccessU 2025 by Knowbility. A standout session was "Accessible JavaScript Techniques – Interactivity Without Barriers" by Christina Adams. It took place on May 14, 2025, from 8:30 AM to 11:45 AM at Trustee 216, St. Edward’s University, Austin, TX. Details: https://knowbility.org/programs/john-slatin-accessu-2025/accessible-javascript-techniques-interactivity-without-barriers
HTML5 <dialog> Element: A Game Changer
Did you know that HTML5 introduced the <dialog> element for creating modal dialogs? While JavaScript is still needed for certain functionalities, the <dialog> element simplifies the process of implementing accessible modals.
Join the Subscriber Community
I'm launching a new chat feature exclusively for subscribers. For $5 a month or $60 annually, you'll gain access to:
- Exclusive chats
- Audio Q&A sessions
- Early access to tutorials
I'm also exploring additional offerings. If you have suggestions, please send me a direct message.
Substack Accessibility Tutorial Coming Soon
Many have inquired about Substack's accessibility. While it's usable, it's not fully compliant. I navigate it using NVDA. I'm planning to create a tutorial to guide others, but due to the influx of tech events, I appreciate your patience.